St Peter's Church of England Aided Junior School

Age group 7–11 Inspection date(s) 14–15 March 2012 Inspection number 379248 St Peter's Church of England Aided Junior School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 116388 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 379248 Inspection dates 14–15 March 2012 Lead inspector Jane Wotherspoon HMI

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Junior School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 246 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Simon Walker Headteacher Matthew Rixson Date of previous school inspection November 2008 School address Church Avenue Farnborough Hampshire GU14 7AP Telephone number 01252 543320 Fax number 01252 541134 Email address office@st-peters-jun.hants.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

Jane Wotherspoon Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors observed 16 parts of lessons, involving nine teachers. In addition, they looked at samples of pupils’ work in books and displayed on the walls, and talked to a small number of pupils from Year 3 and Year 6 about reading. Inspectors met with a number of key staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and groups of pupils. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at a range of documentation including data on pupils’ progress and attainment, the school’s monitoring information on the quality of teaching, records of pupils’ behaviour and reports from the local authority. Inspectors took account of the responses from 163 parents and carers as well as those from 19 staff and 109 pupils.

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Information about the school

The school is broadly average in size. Pupils join the school from a number of different infant schools in the area. Not all pupils come from the immediate locality. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below average. Most pupils are of White British heritage, with small proportions of pupils from a range of minority ethnic groups. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below the national average: a range of needs includes behavioural difficulties, autism and moderate learning difficulties. A small proportion of pupils, around 5%, are from families of service personnel. The school meets the government’s current floor standard for attainment.

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Information about the school

Since the previous inspection just over three years ago, there have been several changes to teaching staff, with five of the eight class teachers joining the school during that period. Three teachers who joined the school were new to teaching. The school has recently achieved Healthy Schools status. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 In accordance with Section 13(3) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement because it is performing less well than in all other circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a notice to improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to pupils’ achievement.

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Key findings

 The school’s effectiveness is not satisfactory because, over a three-year period, pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6 has been in decline. Although it has been broadly average, it should be better given that pupils join the school in Year 3 with above-average attainment. Over time, pupils have underachieved. During the inspection, there were clear signs, both in lessons and in pupils’ books, of an improving picture of progress. Nonetheless, progress remains patchy. In particular, some older pupils still have gaps in their knowledge and understanding that stem from past underachievement. In addition, some lower- ability pupils and those identified as requiring additional support are not making the progress needed to keep up with their peers. Hence, gaps are not narrowing quickly enough.

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Key findings

 Improvements in the quality of teaching are beginning to secure pupils’ better progress. However, some inconsistencies remain in the quality of marking and target setting, as well as in the pace and challenge provided in some lessons, including guided reading sessions.

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Key findings

 Pupils’ good behaviour contributes much to the positive environment for learning in lessons. Relationships between pupils, and with adults, are a strength. The school’s ethos is one in which the values of good manners, kindness and respect for others are promoted strongly.

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Key findings

 The headteacher has given a firm lead to improving the quality of teaching through training and support for staff that is helping to improve their practice. Systems for monitoring the progress of individual pupils, and for holding staff to account for that progress, are well developed. However, analysis of the Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

progress of different groups of pupils, especially where proportions are small, is at an early stage of development. A wide range of monitoring activities, undertaken regularly by senior and middle leaders, identifies accurately where provision could be better. Improvement plans are appropriate, although the expected impact of the actions is not always sharply focused on pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it consistently makes a good impact on pupils’ progress by:  providing pupils with clear and consistent feedback, including through marking, that tells them what they need to do to improve  establishing closer links between the targets in pupils’ folders and their current work  improving the pace and challenge in lessons  ensuring that pupils have challenging and purposeful tasks in guided reading sessions.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen provision and achievement for lower-attaining pupils and those whose circumstances or learning needs make them vulnerable to underachievement by:  ensuring that there are closer links between intervention activities and the learning that takes place in class  providing more practical support for lower-attaining pupils to enable them to become independent in their learning and less reliant on the support of teaching assistants  ensuring that during lessons teachers provide more direct and focused teaching for lower-attaining pupils and those whose circumstances or learning needs make them vulnerable to underachievement  embedding systems for monitoring pupils’ progress over time to judge the impact of interventions and support.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Refine plans for school improvement so that criteria by which success can be measured focus more sharply on the impact the school’s actions have on pupils’ progress and attainment.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ attainment has been falling to a level that is broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6. Over the last three years, pupils’ progress has been significantly below that made by pupils nationally. Hence, achievement is inadequate. However, there are signs that actions taken by the school are beginning to bear fruit. The school’s data show that pupils’ progress is Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Achievement of pupils

improving and that attainment at the end of Year 6 is on track to be above average. If predictions are realised, this would represent satisfactory progress over time and a significant improvement on previous years. Attainment in Years 3 and 4 is above average. For example, more-able pupils in Year 3 were confident to apply calculation skills to two-step word problems that might be expected to be solved by pupils a year or so older.

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Achievement of pupils

Most parents and carers are content that their children are making good progress. A small proportion queried the amount of progress made or commented negatively on their children’s progress in the past. The majority of learning and progress seen during the inspection was satisfactory. The work of pupils in Year 6 confirms that pupils are making steady progress in learning to write in a range of different styles and formats. Their writing is increasingly well structured into paragraphs and uses some sophisticated vocabulary, more complex sentences to develop ideas and correct punctuation. They cover a broad range of mathematical concepts and methods taught in a systematic way. Although pupils were keen to talk about their reading habits and many enjoy reading, the phonic knowledge of older, lower- attaining pupils is not always sufficiently secure to help them sound out unfamiliar words.

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Achievement of pupils

The achievement of pupils identified by the school as needing additional help is inconsistent. Some disabled pupils and those with special educational needs have made good progress but there remains a proportion that have made limited progress over time. Documented evidence shows that pupils with emotional needs have been well supported to overcome barriers to learning so that they have made accelerated rates of progress. At times, lower-attaining pupils do not have enough support through practical apparatus or visual prompts to enable them to be self-sufficient in learning and they are too reliant on the support of an adult.

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Quality of teaching

While the large majority of parents and carers feel that their children are taught well, a few expressed reservations about teaching quality. Inspectors judge teaching to be satisfactory but acknowledge that inadequacies in the quality of teaching in the past have had a negative impact on pupils’ achievement over time.

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Quality of teaching

Initiatives such as ‘peer coaching’ are beginning to help share good practice among teachers. Typically, good features include: clear communication of learning objectives and success criteria so that pupils understand what is expected and can identify whether or not they achieve those expectations; planning that takes account of pupils’ needs to provide a variety of activities pitched at an appropriate level; a swift pace to learning during which pupils work quickly and efficiently; a step-by-step approach to teaching mathematical processes with opportunities to practise and apply a skill; recognition by the teacher that progress is stalling, for example in a Year 6 lesson on equivalent fractions, with swift modification of the intended activity.

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Quality of teaching

However, inconsistencies remain. Teachers sometimes talk for too long before Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

moving on to the next activity, pupils are passive and the pace of learning slows. Marking does not always tell pupils, or show them through examples, what they need to do to improve their work. At its best, teachers’ marking in mathematics corrects pupils’ misconceptions and sets out methods for calculation for pupils to follow. Target setting is not as effective as it might be because targets do not stem directly from an assessment of weaknesses in pupils’ current work identified through marking. Inspectors observed many lessons during which the learning of lower- attaining pupils was not checked by the teacher because these pupils were supported by a teaching assistant.

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Quality of teaching

Guided reading sessions are of variable quality. Without exception, pupils working directly with the class teacher have a positive learning experience that develops their reading skills. Pupils are encouraged to draw out key ideas from the text, to engage with the actions and emotions of the characters and to widen their vocabulary as well as develop expressive reading skills. However, activities set for the remainder of the class are not always focused sufficiently on improving reading. Some pupils find it difficult to sustain their focus on the task and, when the work is not adequately pitched to the pupils’ needs, progress slows.

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Quality of teaching

The atmosphere in classrooms is conducive to learning and based on mutual respect. Teachers praise pupils frequently to encourage them and help them to reflect on their own learning and achievements. Pupils feel that teachers support them, look after them well, and help them to learn; parents and carers agree. Activities that engage pupils in paired work or paired talk support the development of cooperation. Teachers increasingly plan activities that support the development of pupils’ skills and knowledge in more than one subject and provide more opportunities for pupils to extend their writing experiences. The topic on Mexico is an example.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Although in the pupils’ questionnaire 17% indicated that behaviour is good only ‘sometimes’, this view was not supported by discussions with pupils or by other evidence. A high proportion of parents and carers consider that there is a good standard of behaviour at St Peter’s. Inspectors found this to be so. Pupils are polite and courteous, extending a warm welcome to visitors. Movement around the school is calm and orderly; this is particularly important given its nature as a Grade II listed building. Teachers expect pupils to behave well, and they do. In the majority of lessons, pupils focus well and remain on task showing a good level of effort and commitment to learning. On occasion, when tasks are not pitched correctly, pupils may lose focus. Generally, though, they have positive attitudes to learning and respond enthusiastically to the school’s systems for praising and rewarding their hard work and kind deeds. They enjoy school life and attendance rates are above

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils say that they feel safe in school because they know who to turn to should they have a concern. They feel that any concerns are taken seriously and dealt with swiftly and effectively. Pupils have been taught about different forms of bullying and Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

confirm that bullying is rare. The school’s records of incidents of bullying or racist behaviour verify the rarity of such events. Pupils respond positively to messages from assemblies and from displays around the school that promote the importance of respect for others and for the wider world. They reflect the school’s values in the way they behave to others.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher sets clear direction and vision for the school’s improvement. Many parents and carers commented positively on his leadership. Improvement plans focus on the right priorities, based on accurate self-evaluation. Plans are detailed, with appropriate actions that are monitored termly to check that they are having the desired impact. However, criteria by which impact is measured are not always quantifiable or sharply focused on pupils’ attainment or rates of progress. The governing body holds the school to account for its performance and challenges the school’s leaders to make improvements. Governors have been relentless in pursuing the causes of the school’s poor performance. Systems for safeguarding pupils are given high priority. Statutory requirements for safeguarding pupils and for tackling discrimination are met.

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Leadership and management

The drive for improvement is not dependent on the headteacher alone. The development of the ‘Improving Standards Team’ is a positive step forward in helping to set consistent expectations for improving quality and performance. The work of this team of senior and middle leaders in trialling initiatives in teaching and in peer coaching is a catalyst for the improvements that all acknowledge are essential. The fact that teaching is improving to secure pupils’ better progress shows that initiatives are having a positive impact and demonstrate the school’s capacity to continue improving.

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Leadership and management

Regular monitoring of teaching quality provides clear feedback to teachers on what and how to improve. Staff are committed to improving their practice and a number are involved in the wide range of monitoring activities that evaluate the school’s work. For example, detailed analysis of outcomes in mathematics in each year group, undertaken by the mathematics leader, has set a clear direction for planning the mathematics curriculum. Provision for pupils with a range of additional social, emotional and learning needs has improved through training teaching assistants to use specific intervention programmes. Nonetheless, the skills taught in such sessions are not always followed up in lessons.

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Leadership and management

Increasingly robust data about pupils’ progress are helping to identify where individuals might be slipping back and need more support. Senior leaders hold teachers accountable for the progress pupils make through termly discussions about each pupil. Each teacher analyses the progress of different groups in the class, including those with special educational needs, those eligible for free school meals and those from the families of service personnel. However, the data are not used routinely to monitor the progress of such groups across the school, especially where proportions are small, to ensure that all groups have opportunities to achieve as well Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

The school continues to develop the breadth of the satisfactory curriculum to embed key skills for life as well as effectively promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are enthusiastic about the many clubs and trips to interesting places that widen their horizons and the residential visit that develops a range of social and team-building skills.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Farnborough GU14 7AP

Thank you for making us welcome when we inspected your school. We enjoyed meeting some of you, hearing some of you read, and seeing you in your lessons. We have judged that your school requires a notice to improve. This means that it could be doing more to help you make better progress to reach higher standards. We are confident that your headteacher, staff and governors know how to do this. We have asked them to make sure they check carefully whether the actions they take are helping you to make faster progress. Inspectors will come back to check how well the school is progressing.

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Farnborough GU14 7AP

You told us that you feel safe and that everyone usually behaves well. We saw that for ourselves as we watched you moving around the school, in lessons and at play. You told us that bullying is rare and that most pupils get on well together. We could see that you are happy at school and that you are well looked after. You follow the school’s values in the way that you treat each other.

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Farnborough GU14 7AP

We are pleased that you enjoy school and the many activities teachers plan for you, especially the trips to interesting places. You are positive about learning new things and we have asked that teachers help you learn more. We have asked that teachers link your targets more closely to the work you are doing in your books, tell you what needs improving when they mark your work and link the marking to your targets. We have also asked teachers to make sure that all the activities in guided reading sessions focus on improving your reading. Some of you find learning a little more difficult so you work with other staff in lessons and in groups. We have asked that teachers build on this work during lessons, give you work that you can do without an adult to help you, work with you themselves in lessons and check that activities out of class help you to improve.

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Farnborough GU14 7AP

We wish you all the best. Keep working hard and ‘learn to live’.

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Farnborough GU14 7AP

Jane Wotherspoon Her Majesty’s Inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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